John William Ryan (August 12, 1929 – August 6, 2011)[1] was an American academic administrator who most notably served as the President of Indiana University for sixteen years.
John Ryan | |
|---|---|
| 5th Chancellor of the State University of New York | |
| In office 1996–1999 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas A. Bartlett |
| Succeeded by | Robert L. King |
| Interim President of the University of Maryland at Baltimore | |
| In office 1994–1994 | |
| Preceded by | Errol L. Reese |
| Succeeded by | David J. Ramsay |
| Interim President of Florida Atlantic University | |
| In office 1989–1989 | |
| Preceded by | Helen Popovich |
| Succeeded by | Anthony J. Catanese |
| 14th President of Indiana University | |
| In office 1971–1987 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Sutton |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Ehrlich |
| 1st Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston | |
| In office 1965–1968 | |
| Succeeded by | Francis L. Broderick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 12, 1929 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | August 6, 2011 (aged 81) Bloomington, Indiana |
| Alma mater | University of Utah (B.A.) Indiana University (M.A) Indiana University (Ph.D.) |
| Profession | Academic Administrator |
| Website | www |
| Academic background | |
| Thesis | Bangkok government and administration: Appearance and reality (1959) |
| Doctoral advisor | Edwin B. McPheron |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Political science |
| Institutions | |
Early life and career
editRyan was born in Chicago, Illinois and earned a B.A. from the University of Utah in 1951, where he was a 1950 initiate of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He earned master's and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University in 1958 and 1959, respectively.[2][3] While in graduate school, Ryan served in two professional roles: first as a research analyst in the Kentucky Department of Revenue, then in establishing the graduate public administration program at Thammasat University. After graduating, he taught political science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1962, he became executive assistant to the president of the University of Massachusetts Amherst before moving to Arizona State University at Tempe to assume the vice presidency for academic affairs. He returned East to serve as the first chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston from 1965 to 1968.[4]
Indiana University
editIn July 1968, Ryan returned to Indiana University to become vice president for regional campuses and became its fourteenth president on January 26, 1971. His 16 years of service to the university saw the establishment of two new IU campuses in New Albany (Indiana University Southeast) and in Richmond (Indiana University East), the formation of various cultural centers on the Bloomington campus, and the creation of the School of Journalism, the School of Continuing Studies, the School of Optometry, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs.[5] Ryan served as chairman of the NCAA Presidents Commission in the mid-1980s during the battle for control of college sports.[6]
Ryan retired in 1987 and was immediately appointed president emeritus of Indiana University. He remained an active figure within the university, both as a professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and as a member of several boards and committees.[7]
In one of his first official acts, Ryan hired legendary men's basketball coach Bob Knight on behalf of the IU Board of Trustees in 1971.
In the 1979 film Breaking Away, he played himself as president of the university, lecturing students on their behavior at the dining hall where they fought the Cutters (a reference to stonecutters who worked in the limestone quarries in southern Indiana).
On September 4, 2009, John Ryan was awarded the University Medal, IU's highest nonacademic award. According to an IU press release, "The University Medal honors individuals for singular or noteworthy contributions, including service to the university and achievement in arts, letters, science and law. It is the only medal that requires approval by the IU Board of Trustees. The presentation was a particularly special occasion, because it was Ryan who, as president, created the University Medal in 1982, bestowing it first on Thomas T. Solley, director of the IU Art Museum. Ryan is only the tenth person to receive the medal."[8]
The State University of New York
editAfter retiring from Indiana University, Ryan took on temporary administrative roles, acting as interim president at the University of Maryland at Baltimore and at Florida Atlantic University, and advising the Papua New Guinea Commission for Higher Education.
In 1996, Ryan stepped in to fill the Chancellorship of the State University of New York after his predecessor abruptly resigned.[9] He was asked to assume the full Chancellorship in 1997 [10] and stepped down at the end of 1999.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Former IU President John Ryan dies". WISHTV8. Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ Ryan, John William (1959). Bangkok government and administration: Appearance and reality (Ph.D.). Indiana University. OCLC 7688710 – via ProQuest.
- ^ "John W. Ryan Educator Irish 1998 Recipient". Ellis Island Medals of Honor. Ellis Island Honors Society. Archived from the original on 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
- ^ Chancellors & Provosts (1965-Present) - University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Boston, archived from the original on October 25, 2019, retrieved March 17, 2017
- ^ "Remembering John Ryan". Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana). Archived from the original on 2011-08-15. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ Rose, Laurence M. "College Presidents and the NCAA Presidents ' Commission: All Bark and No Bite". repository.law.miami.edu. University of Miami. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
- ^ "2008-09 IU Factbook" (PDF). Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
- ^ "IU News Room". Indiana University (Bloomington, Indiana). Retrieved 2011-08-07.
- ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1996-07-02). "SUNY Board Chooses an Interim Chancellor". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
- ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1997-04-10). "SUNY Seems Likely to Pick Interim Chief As Chancellor". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
- ^ Arenson, Karen W. (1999-01-14). "SUNY's Chancellor Plans to Step Down". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-04.